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The British Defense company has identified four technologies which could revolutionize military aircrafts of the future: Transformer long range aircraft which can split into a number of smaller aircraft, Self healing Aircrafts; carrying advanced on-board 3D printers capable to printing UAVs on-demand during a mission; and carrying directed energy weapons that would engage missiles at the speed of light. Scientists and engineers from BAE Systems are confident, all these technologies which are at the drawing-board stage at present would become a reality by 2040 or even earlier.
The Transformer is a flexible aircraft system that combines several smaller autonomous aircrafts that join together to save fuel and increase their range and when they reach the target area, they split off to conduct their individual specific mission like attack, surveillance or airdrop, before joining again while flying back.
The self-healing technology shall improve survivability of the aircraft employed in high lethality scenarios. Aircrafts shall be constructed from carbon nanotubes storing lightweight adhesive fluid which can be released mid-flight to quickly set and repair any damage.
Aircrafts shall carry laser Directed Energy Systems to hit and destroy ground and air targets with much accuracy and at the speed of light.
The hi-tech on-board 3D Printers that, via Additive Layer Manufacturing and robotic assembly techniques, could be used to create unmanned aircraft on-demand, customizable according to desired mission, including air strike, surveillance or SAR (Search And Rescue) operations.These UAVs could then self destruct themselves by dissolving their circuit boards to prevent capture.
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